334 results on '"Franci, G"'
Search Results
52. Autoecologia del bivalve perforatore Gastrochaena dubia lungo la Falesia del Promontorio di Portofino
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Schiaparelli, Stefano, Franci, G, Albertelli, Giancarlo, and CATTANEO VIETTI, Riccardo
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- 2003
53. MePR: A Novel Human Mesenchymal Progenitor Model with Characteristics of Pluripotency
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Miceli, M., Franci, G., Dell'aversana, C., Ricciardiello, F., Petraglia, F., Carissimo, A., Perone, L., Maruotti, G.M., Savarese, M., Martinelli, P., Cancemi, M., Altucci, L., Miceli, M., Franci, G., Dell'aversana, C., Ricciardiello, F., Petraglia, F., Carissimo, A., Perone, L., Maruotti, G.M., Savarese, M., Martinelli, P., Cancemi, M., and Altucci, L.
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Item does not contain fulltext
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- 2013
54. The class I-specific HDAC inhibitor MS-275 modulates the differentiation potential of mouse embryonic stem cells
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Franci, G., Casalino, L., Petraglia, F., Miceli, M., Menafra, R., Radic, B., Tarallo, V., Vitale, M., Scarfo, M., Pocsfalvi, G., Baldi, A., Ambrosino, C., Zambrano, N., Patriarca, E., Falco, S. De, Minchiotti, G., Stunnenberg, H.G., Altucci, L., Franci, G., Casalino, L., Petraglia, F., Miceli, M., Menafra, R., Radic, B., Tarallo, V., Vitale, M., Scarfo, M., Pocsfalvi, G., Baldi, A., Ambrosino, C., Zambrano, N., Patriarca, E., Falco, S. De, Minchiotti, G., Stunnenberg, H.G., and Altucci, L.
- Abstract
Contains fulltext : 117283.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)
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- 2013
55. Uncovering Common Principles in Protein Export of Malaria Parasites
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Grüring, C., Heiber, A., Kruse, F., Flemming, S., Franci, G., Colombo, Sara F., Fasana, E., Schoeler, H., Borgese, N., Stunnenberg, H.G., Przyborski, J.M., Gilberger, T.-W., Spielmann, T., Grüring, C., Heiber, A., Kruse, F., Flemming, S., Franci, G., Colombo, Sara F., Fasana, E., Schoeler, H., Borgese, N., Stunnenberg, H.G., Przyborski, J.M., Gilberger, T.-W., and Spielmann, T.
- Abstract
Contains fulltext : 103863.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access)
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- 2012
56. ATTIVITÀ VIRUCIDA E BATTERICIDA DELL’ACIDO PERMALEICO: UNA PROPOSTA ALTERNATIVA PER LA RIDUZIONE DEL RISCHIO BIOLOGICO NEGLI AMBIENTI DI LAVORO.
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Motta, O., Pironti, C., Ricciardi, M., Ambrosino, A., Chianese, A., Zannella, C., Dell’Annunziata, F., Giugliano, R., Folliero, V., Galdiero, M., Franci, G., and Proto, A.
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- 2022
57. CBFB–MYH11/RUNX1 together with a compendium of hematopoietic regulators, chromatin modifiers and basal transcription factors occupies self-renewal genes in inv(16) acute myeloid leukemia
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Mandoli, A, primary, Singh, A A, additional, Jansen, P W T C, additional, Wierenga, A T J, additional, Riahi, H, additional, Franci, G, additional, Prange, K, additional, Saeed, S, additional, Vellenga, E, additional, Vermeulen, M, additional, Stunnenberg, H G, additional, and Martens, J H A, additional
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- 2013
- Full Text
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58. P2.9.14 An artificial immune system model for gas sensors drift mitigation
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Magna, Gabriele, primary, Martinelli, Eugenio, additional, Catini, Alexandro, additional, D'Amico, Arnaldo, additional, Di Natale, Corrado, additional, De Vito, Saverio, additional, Di Franci, G., additional, and Vergara, Alexander, additional
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- 2012
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59. Inhibition of the JNK signaling pathway increases sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells to cisplatin by down-regulating expression of P-glycoprotein.
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Rinaldi, L., Milione, S., Porta, G., Siniscalchi, L. I., Franci, G., and Di Francia, R.
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A letter to the editor is presented in response to an article regarding the identification of one of the signals involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) sensitivity cells to cisplatin in c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway.
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- 2016
60. Expo 67. Pavilion of Italy
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Argan, C.; Franci, G.; Pascarelli, L. and Zevi, B., Argan, C.; Franci, G.; Pascarelli, L. and Zevi, B., Argan, C.; Franci, G.; Pascarelli, L. and Zevi, B., and Argan, C.; Franci, G.; Pascarelli, L. and Zevi, B.
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North side from along Le Moyne Canal; USSR Pavilion in background, http://name.umdl.umich.edu/IC-UMMU-X-04-03676%5D04_03676, https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/thumb/ummu/04-03676/04_03676/!250,250, This image is licensed under the Library Information Technology.; William Kessler, https://www.lib.umich.edu/about-us/policies/copyright-policy
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- 1967
61. Review of Current Dental Literature; Contribution to the Study of the Etiology of Dental Caries: Water, Climate, Bread.
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Franci, G. B., Franci, G. B., Franci, G. B., and Franci, G. B.
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Editors: Aug. 1859-July 1865, J. D. White, J. H. McQuillen, G. J. Ziegler.--Aug. 1865-Dec. 1871, J. H. McQuillen, G. J. Ziegler.--Jan. 1872-May 1891, J. W. White.--July 1891-Apr. 1930, E. C. Kirk (with L. P. Anthony, Dec. 1917-Apr. 1930).--May 1930-Dec. 1936, L. P. Anthony., Vols. 1-13 are called "new series.", Merged in Jan. 1937 with: Journal of the American Dental Association, ISSN 1048-6364, to form: Journal of the American Dental Association and dental cosmos, ISSN 0375-8451., The Dental cosmos; a monthly record of dental science. [Vol. 75] : Vol 75 : Issue 2, Page(s) 204-205, (dlps) volume: 0527912.0075.001, (dlps) article: 0527912.0075.001:105, http://quod.lib.umich.edu/t/text/accesspolicy.html
62. Inhibition of the JNK signaling pathway increases sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells to cisplatin by down-regulating expression of P-glycoprotein
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Rinaldi, L., Milione, S., Porta, G., Siniscalchi, L. I., Franci, G., Raffaele Di Francia, Rinaldi, L, Milione, S, Porta, G, Siniscalchi, L I, Franci, G, and Di Francia, R
63. Comment on: MiR-877-5p suppresses cell growth, migration and invasion by targeting cyclin dependent kinase 14 and predicts prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Pafundi, P. C., Caturano, A., and Franci, G.
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- 2018
64. Comment on: LncRNA SBF2-AS1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis by regulating EMT and predicts unfavorable prognosis.
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Franci, G., Dell'Aversana, C., Stelitano, D., Rinaldi, M., and Altucci, L.
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- 2019
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65. Comment on: MiR-877-5p suppresses cell growth, migration and invasion by targeting cyclin dependent kinase 14 and predicts prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma
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PIA CLARA PAFUNDI, Caturano, A., and Franci, G.
66. Pavillon de l'Italie, île Notre-Dame, Montréal, ca 1966
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Argan, C.; Franci, G.; Zévi, Bruno, 1918, V., F. & L. Passarelli, Argan, C.; Franci, G.; Zévi, Bruno, 1918, and V., F. & L. Passarelli
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Construit pour l'Exposition universelle et internationale de Montréal, 1967; Date du début des travaux de réalisation : Ca 1966, À gauche, à l'arrière plan: Pavillon des États-Unis
67. The Amphibian Antimicrobial Peptide Temporin B Inhibits In VitroHerpes Simplex Virus 1 Infection
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Marcocci, M. E., Amatore, D., Villa, S., Casciaro, B., Aimola, P., Franci, G., Grieco, P., Galdiero, M., Palamara, A. T., Mangoni, M. L., and Nencioni, L.
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ABSTRACTThe herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is widespread in the population, and in most cases its infection is asymptomatic. The currently available anti-HSV-1 drugs are acyclovir and its derivatives, although long-term therapy with these agents can lead to drug resistance. Thus, the discovery of novel antiherpetic compounds deserves additional effort. Naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent an interesting class of molecules with potential antiviral properties. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first demonstration of the in vitroanti-HSV-1 activity of temporin B (TB), a short membrane-active amphibian AMP. In particular, when HSV-1 was preincubated with 20 μg/ml TB, significant antiviral activity was observed (a 5-log reduction of the virus titer). Such an effect was due to the disruption of the viral envelope, as demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy. Moreover, TB partially affected different stages of the HSV-1 life cycle, including the attachment and the entry of the virus into the host cell, as well as the subsequent postinfection phase. Furthermore, its efficacy was confirmed on human epithelial cells, suggesting TB as a novel approach for the prevention and/or treatment of HSV-1 infections.
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- 2018
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68. New Quinaphos Ligands for Asymmetric Hydrogenation.
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Pullmann, T., Engendahl, B., Zhang, Z., H�lscher, M., Zanotti-Gerosa, A., Dyke, A., Franci�, G., and Leitner, W.
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- 2010
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69. Nickel-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrovinylation at Room Temperature.
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Lassauque, N., Franci�, G., and Leitner, W.
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- 2010
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70. Lewis Acid Activated Ni-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrovinylation.
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Lassauque, N., Franci�, G., and Leitner, W.
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- 2009
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71. Nickel-Catalyzed Stereoselective Cyclo�-isomerization of 1,6-Dienes.
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B�ing, C., Hahne, J., Franci�, G., and Leitner, W.
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- 2008
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72. Enantioselective Catalysis with Tropos Ligands in Chiral Ionic Liquids.
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Schmitkamp, M., Chen, D., Leitner, W., Klankermayer, J., and Franci�, G.
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- 2008
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73. Gene transfer potential of outer membrane vesicles of gram‐negative bacteria
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Carla Renata Arciola, Cristina Santarcangelo, Gianluigi Franci, Viviana Izzo, Massimiliano Galdiero, Rosa Giugliano, Veronica Folliero, Anna De Filippis, Maria Daglia, Federica Dell'Annunziata, Dell'Annunziata, F., Folliero, V., Giugliano, R., De Filippis, A., Santarcangelo, C., Izzo, V., Daglia, M., Galdiero, M., Arciola, C. R., Franci, G., Dell'annunziata F., Folliero V., Giugliano R., De Filippis A., Santarcangelo C., Izzo V., Daglia M., Galdiero M., Arciola C.R., and Franci G.
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0301 basic medicine ,Gene Transfer ,Outer membrane vesicles ,Review ,medicine.disease_cause ,Virulence Factor ,Biology (General) ,Spectroscopy ,biology ,Chemistry ,Vesicle ,Gene Transfer Techniques ,General Medicine ,Horizontal gene transfer ,gram-negative bacteria ,Computer Science Applications ,Cell biology ,Bacterial outer membrane ,Human ,Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins ,Gram-negative bacteria ,Gene Transfer, Horizontal ,QH301-705.5 ,Virulence Factors ,030106 microbiology ,Virulence ,Catalysis ,Horizontal ,Inorganic Chemistry ,03 medical and health sciences ,medicine ,Humans ,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry ,DNA ,Gram‐negative bacteria ,Bacteria ,Bacterial Outer Membrane ,QD1-999 ,Bacterial Outer Membrane Protein ,Molecular Biology ,Gene ,Outer membrane vesicle ,Organic Chemistry ,Pathogenic bacteria ,biology.organism_classification ,030104 developmental biology - Abstract
The increasing spread of multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria is one of the major threats to public health worldwide. Bacteria can acquire antibiotic resistance and virulence genes through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). A novel horizontal gene transfer mechanism mediated by outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) has been recently identified. OMVs are rounded nanostructures released during their growth by Gram-negative bacteria. Biologically active toxins and virulence factors are often entrapped within these vesicles that behave as molecular carriers. Recently, OMVs have been reported to contain DNA molecules, but little is known about the vesicle packaging, release, and transfer mechanisms. The present review highlights the role of OMVs in HGT processes in Gram-negative bacteria.
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- 2021
74. Combined yeast and microalgal cultivation in a pilot-scale raceway pond for urban wastewater treatment and potential biodiesel production
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Francesco Pirozzi, Massimiliano Galdiero, Floriana Iasimone, Virginia D'Oriano, V. De Felice, Gianluigi Franci, Domenico Pirozzi, Gaetano Zuccaro, Iasimone, F, Zuccaro, G, D'Oriano, V, Franci, G, Galdiero, M, Pirozzi, D, De Felice, V, Pirozzi, F, Iasimone, F., Zuccaro, G., D'Oriano, V., Franci, G., Galdiero, M., Pirozzi, D., De Felice, V., and Pirozzi, F.
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0106 biological sciences ,Environmental Engineering ,Biomass ,Pilot Projects ,Chlorella ,Wastewater ,010501 environmental sciences ,Biofuel ,Disinfection ,Microalgae ,Oleaginous yeast ,Raceway pond ,Water Science and Technology ,Waste Disposal, Fluid ,01 natural sciences ,010608 biotechnology ,Food science ,Lipomyces ,Ponds ,Scenedesmus ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,biology ,Chemistry ,biology.organism_classification ,Lipids ,Yeast ,Biofuels ,Biodiesel production ,Sewage treatment - Abstract
A mixed culture of oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi and wastewater native microalgae (mostly Scenedesmus sp. and Chlorella sp.) was performed to enhance lipid and biomass production from urban wastewaters. A 400 L raceway pond, operating outdoors, was designed and used for biomass cultivation. Microalgae and yeast were inoculated into the cultivation pond with a 2:1 inoculum ratio. Their concentrations were monitored for 14 continuous days of batch cultivation. Microalgal growth presented a 3-day initial lag-phase, while yeast growth occurred in the first few days. Yeast activity during the microalgal lag-phase enhanced microalgal biomass productivity, corresponding to 31.4 mgTSS m−2 d−1. Yeast growth was limited by low concentrations in wastewater of easily assimilated organic substrates. Organic carbon was absorbed in the first 3 days with a 3.7 mgC L−1 d−1 removal rate. Complete nutrient removal occurred during microalgal linear growth with 2.9 mgN L−1 d−1 and 0.96 mgP L−1 d−1 removal rates. Microalgal photosynthetic activity induced high pH and dissolved oxygen values resulted in natural bactericidal and antifungal activity. A 15% lipid/dry weight was measured at the end of the cultivation time. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis indicated that the lipids were mainly composed of arachidic acid.
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- 2018
75. Microbiota and HPV: The role of viral infection on vaginal microbiota
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Biagio Santella, Maria T. Schettino, Gianluigi Franci, Pasquale De Franciscis, Nicola Colacurci, Antonio Schiattarella, Massimiliano Galdiero, Santella, B., Schettino, M. T., Franci, G., De Franciscis, P., Colacurci, N., Schiattarella, A., and Galdiero, M.
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Bacteria ,Microbiota ,Papillomavirus Infections ,Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ,Cervix Uteri ,Infectious Diseases ,RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ,Virology ,uterine cervical neoplasm ,Vagina ,Humans ,Female ,Papillomavirus Infection ,Human - Abstract
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the prevalence of human papillomaviruses (HPV) infection is between 9% and 13% of the world population and only in the United States, more than 6.2 million are positive every year. There are more than 100 types of HPV, among them, two serotypes (16 and 18) are related to 70% of cervical cancers and precancerous cervical lesions. The vaginal microbiota could play a considerable role in HPV infection and the genesis of cervical tumors caused by HPV. Moreover, bacteria are strongly associated with vaginal inflammation and oncogenic mutations in human cells. We aim to investigate whether HPV infection could influence the bacterial microbiota composition in the uterine cervix. A total of 31 women were enrolled in this study. The vaginal swabs were collected; the HPV-DNA was extracted with QIAamp DNA Microbiome. The V3–V4–V6 region of the 16S rDNA gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by sequencing with MiSeq Illumina. The main phylum identified in the vaginal microbiota were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. The phylum of Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroides was more represented in HPV-positive patients. Lactobacilli represented the dominant genus, with a high percentage of Lactobacilli iners, Lactobacilli jensenii, and Lactobacilli crispatus as species. Gardnerella vaginalis, Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Proteus spp., and Atopobium were the most represented in HPV-positive patients. An altered vaginal microbiota might play a functional role in HPV cervical infection, progression, and clearance. The relationship between infection and microbiota could spur the development of new probiotics. However, further studies are needed to clarify the role of the vaginal microbiota in HPV infection.
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- 2022
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76. Anthraquinone Rhein Exhibits Antibacterial Activity against Staphylococcus aureus
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Federica Dell’Annunziata, Veronica Folliero, Francesca Palma, Valeria Crudele, Emiliana Finamore, Giuseppina Sanna, Aldo Manzin, Anna De Filippis, Massimiliano Galdiero, Gianluigi Franci, Dell'Annunziata, F, Folliero, V, Palma, F, Crudele, V, Finamore, E, Sanna, G, Manzin, A, De Filippis, A, Galdiero, M, and Franci, G
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Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes ,antibacterial activity ,antibiofilm activity ,natural product ,Rhein ,Staphylococcus aureus ,Process Chemistry and Technology ,General Engineering ,Computer Science Applications ,Staphylococcus aureu ,General Materials Science ,Instrumentation - Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) represents an important pathogen of clinical relevance, causing a wide variety of symptoms. The broad distribution of multidrug-resistant strains necessarily demands new antibacterial agents for the treatment of S. aureus infections. The aim of this study was to assess the antibacterial activity of plant-derived compounds, pure 4,5″-dihydroxy-anthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid (Rhein), against standard and clinical isolated S. aureus strains. The hemolysis and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays were used to determine the cytotoxicity on human erythrocytes and bronchial epithelial cells after treatment with Rhein. The antibacterial effect was assessed via disk diffusion test, broth microdilution methods, time-killing assays and live–dead evaluation (50–0.39 µg/mL). Rhein effect on the hemolytic activity of α-toxin and catalase were estimated. Moreover, crystal violet (CV) assay evaluated its impact on biofilm biomass. The compound exhibited 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) and 50% hemolysis concentration (EC50) of 43.6 and >50 µg/mL, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Rhein was 12.5 µg/mL for all tested strains, exerting bacteriostatic action. MIC and sub-MIC concentrations of Rhein significantly reduced hemolytic and catalase activities, impairing the major virulence factors of S. aureus strains. Rhein also reduced biofilm biomass in a dose-dependent manner, reaching rates of about 50% eradication at a dose of 50 µg/mL. These findings suggest that Rhein could represent a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of S. aureus infections.
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- 2022
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77. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Probiotics: A Natural Approach to an Inflammatory Disease
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Riemma Gaetano, Schiattarella Antonio, Gallo Pasquale, De Franciscis Pasquale, Franci Gianluigi, La Verde Marco, Fasulo Diego, Chianese Annalisa, Fichera Michele, Schiattarella, A., Riemma, G., Verde, M. L., Franci, G., Chianese, A., Fasulo, D., Fichera, M., Gallo, P., and De Franciscis, P.
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endocrine system diseases ,business.industry ,Microbiota ,Probiotics ,Obstetrics and Gynecology ,Insulin resistance ,Disease ,Bioinformatics ,Polycystic ovary ,Dysbiosi ,Infertility ,Natural approach ,PCOS ,Medicine ,Gut ,business ,Polycystic ovary syndrome - Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that affects about 15% of women of reproductive age and is correlated with infertility, insulin resistance, and obesity. The etiology of PCOS is multifactorial and genetic, endocrine, and metabolic causes are involved. : New evidence suggests a link between microorganisms residing in the digestive tracts of humans and the development of PCOS. Moreover, an imbalance in the gut microbial community could be a possible factor for the onset of insulin resistance and obesity. Hyperandrogenism, a key feature of PCOS, could also play a critical role in shaping the microbiome community. : Probiotics could modify the gut microbiota and serve as a potential treatment for PCOS. Here we disclose the association between PCOS and intestinal microbiota and the possible role of probiotics as a new treatment approach.
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- 2021
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78. Neutralizing Antibodies Responses against SARS-CoV-2 in a Sardinian Cohort Group Up to 9 Months after BNT162b2 Vaccination
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Giuseppina Sanna, Alessandra Marongiu, Davide Firinu, Cristina Piras, Gianluigi Franci, Massimiliano Galdiero, Giuseppe Pala, Vanessa Palmas, Fabrizio Angius, Roberto Littera, Andrea Perra, Germano Orrù, Marcello Campagna, Giulia Costanzo, Federico Meloni, Ferdinando Coghe, Luchino Chessa, Aldo Manzin, Sanna, G., Marongiu, A., Firinu, D., Piras, C., Franci, G., Galdiero, M., Pala, G., Palmas, V., Angius, F., Littera, R., Perra, A., Orru, G., Campagna, M., Costanzo, G., Meloni, F., Coghe, F., Chessa, L., and Manzin, A.
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Pharmacology ,Infectious Diseases ,BNT162b2 vaccine ,neutralization assay ,Drug Discovery ,Immunology ,COVID-19 ,Pharmacology (medical) ,CLIA ,Antibody - Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of COVID-19, has caused over 460 million cases of infection and over 6 million deaths worldwide. The pandemic has called for science, technology, and innovation to provide solutions and, due to an incredible scientific and financial global effort, several prophylactic and therapeutic apparatuses such as monoclonal antibodies and vaccines were developed in less than one year to address this emergency. After SARS-CoV-2 infection, serum neutralizing antibodies are produced by B cells and studies on virus-neutralizing antibodies’ kinetics are pivotal. The process of protective immunity and the duration of this kind of protection against COVID-19 remain to be clarified. We tested 136 sera from 3 groups of individuals, some of them providing multiple sequential sera (1—healthy, no previous CoV2-infected, vaccinated; 2—healthy, previous CoV2 infected, vaccinated; 3—healed, previous CoV2-infected, not vaccinated) to assess the kinetics of antibodies (Abs) neutralizing activity. We found that SARS-CoV-2 infection elicits moderate neutralizing antibody activity in most individuals; neither age nor gender appear to have any influence on Abs responses. The BNT162b2 vaccine, when administered in two doses, induces high antibodies titre endowed with potent neutralizing activity against bare SARS-CoV-2 in in vitro neutralizing assay. The residual neutralization capability and the kinetic of waning immunity were also evaluated over 9 months after the second dose in a reference group of subjects. Neutralization titre showed a decline in all subjects and the median level of S-protein IgG, over 270 days after the second vaccination dose, was below 10 AU/mL in 53% of serum tested.
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- 2022
79. Pulsed laser ablation of magnetic nanoparticles as a novel antibacterial strategy against gram positive bacteria
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Maria Vittoria Morone, Federica Dell'Annunziata, Rosa Giugliano, Annalisa Chianese, Anna De Filippis, Luca Rinaldi, Umberto Gambardella, Gianluigi Franci, Massimiliano Galdiero, Antonio Morone, Morone, M. V., Dell'Annunziata, F., Giugliano, R., Chianese, A., De Filippis, A., Rinaldi, L., Gambardella, U., Franci, G., Galdiero, M., and Morone, A.
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Antibacterial Activity ,Nanoparticles Samarium-Cobalt ,Industrial electrochemistry ,Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquid ,TA401-492 ,Surfaces and Interfaces ,Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials ,Surfaces, Coatings and Films ,TP250-261 - Abstract
Nanotechnologies comprise approaches able to synthesize, manipulate and visualize matter at the nanometer scale offering numerous advantages, especially in the biomedical field. In particular, nanoparticles represent a promising tool in the medical field to overcome antimicrobial resistance, which represent current serious problem. Furthermore, nanoparticles use multiple mechanisms to target microorganisms, rendering difficult the development of antimicrobial resistance. In the present, we used a Samarium-Cobalt (SmCo) target, permanent magnet, to synthesize nanoparticles (Nps) by Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquid (PLAL). To evaluate their possible antimicrobial effect against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus mutans, we performed minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) essays. In addition we evaluated their ability to affect human keratinocyte cells viability. By time killing assay, we monitored bacterial growth after exposure to Nps-SmCo. PLAL is an innovative, cheap, fast and safe nanotechnology to allow the synthesis of small nanoparticles that could be exploited for applications as novel antimicrobials.
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- 2022
80. Six-month humoral response to mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with ocrelizumab and fingolimod
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Rocco Capuano, Alvino Bisecco, Miriana Conte, Giovanna Donnarumma, Manuela Altieri, Elena Grimaldi, Gianluigi Franci, Annalisa Chianese, Massimiliano Galdiero, Nicola Coppola, Gioacchino Tedeschi, Antonio Gallo, Capuano, R, Bisecco, A, Conte, M, Donnarumma, G, Altieri, M, Grimaldi, E, Franci, G, Chianese, A, Galdiero, M, Coppola, N, Tedeschi, G, and Gallo, A
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Vaccines, Synthetic ,COVID-19 Vaccines ,Multiple Sclerosis ,Fingolimod Hydrochloride ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Vaccination ,COVID-19 ,Fingolimod ,General Medicine ,Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ,Antibodies, Viral ,Covid-19 ,Long term humoral response ,Multiple sclerosis ,Ocrelizumab ,SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine ,Neurology ,Immunoglobulin G ,Humans ,Neurology (clinical) ,RNA, Messenger ,mRNA Vaccines ,BNT162 Vaccine - Abstract
Real-world clinical data suggest an attenuated short-term humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) receiving high efficacy (HE) disease modifying therapies (DMTs) such as Ocrelizumab (OCR) and Fingolimod (FNG). Long-term humoral response in pwMS treated with these HE-DMTs has been poorly investigated. The aim of our study was to explore: i) the humoral response up to six months after a full cycle of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 vaccine in pwMS treated with OCR and FNG and to compare it to age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs); ii) the relationship between humoral response and clinical and immunological characteristics of the studied population.Serum samples were collected from HCs and pwMS treated with OCR or FNG at the following time points: before BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 vaccine (T0), and 4 (T1), 8 (T2), 16 (T3) and 24 (T4) weeks after the first dose. Sera were stored at -20 °C and tested for the quantitative detection of IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 trimeric spike protein (Anti-TSP IgG) expressed in binding antibody units (BAU). At T1 neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) titres were assessed. The relationship between Anti-TSP IgG at each time-point and clinical and laboratoristic analyses were analysed by the Spearman correlation coefficient.47 HCs and 50 pwMS (28 on OCR and 22 on FNG) were included in the study. All HCs mounted a positive humoral response at T1 and preserved it up to six months. At T1 only 57.1% pwMS on OCR (p 0.001 compared with HCs) and 40.9% on FNG (p 0.001) had a positive humoral response at T1, with only 39.3% and 27.3% maintaining a positive response at sixth months (T4), respectively. A strong positive correlation was observed between Nabs titres and Anti-TSP IgG at T1 (rho 0.87, p 0.0001) with NAbs titres significantly higher in HCs compared with pwMS on OCR and FNG (p0.0001). We also found a strong positive correlation between time-window since last OCR infusion and anti-TSP IgG titres at all time-points (T1 rho=0.58, p = 0.001; T2 rho=0.59, p = 0.001; T3 rho=0.53, p = 0.004; T4 rho=0.47, p = 0.01). In the FNG group we observed a significant correlation between the humoral response measured from T1 to T4 and: i) treatment duration (T1: rho -0.65, p = 0.001; T2: rho -0.8 p0.001; T3: rho -0.72, p=0.001; T4: rho -0.67, p0.001), ii) disease duration (T1: rho -0.5, p = 0.017; T2: rho -0.6, p = 0.003; T3: rho -0.58, p = 0.005; T4: rho -0.57, p = 0.006), and iii) baseline total lymphocyte count (T1: rho 0.37, p = 0.08; T2: rho 0.45, p = 0.03; T3: rho 0.43, p = 0.04; T4: rho 0.45, p = 0.03).Our long-term data show a weakened and short-lasting humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine in pwMS treated with OCR and FNG when compared with HCs. MS neurologists should take into account the time elapsed since the last infusion for pwMS on OCR, and the lymphocyte count as well as the disease and treatment duration for those on FNG when called to counsel such pwMS regarding the vaccination with the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine.
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- 2022
81. The Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Potential of the Amphibian Peptide AR-23
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Annalisa Chianese, Carla Zannella, Alessandra Monti, Anna De Filippis, Nunzianna Doti, Gianluigi Franci, Massimiliano Galdiero, Chianese, A., Zannella, C., Monti, A., De Filippis, A., Doti, N., Franci, G., and Galdiero, M.
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Ranidae ,QH301-705.5 ,Cell Survival ,Coronaviru ,Viral Plaque Assay ,Antiviral therapy ,Amphibian Protein ,Chlorocebus aethiop ,Antiviral Agents ,Article ,Catalysis ,Amphibian Proteins ,Inorganic Chemistry ,Antimicrobial peptides ,Antiviral drugs ,Coronavirus ,HSV-1 ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Animals ,Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides ,Antimicrobial Peptides ,Chlorocebus aethiops ,DNA Viruses ,RNA Viruses ,Vero Cells ,Viral Envelope ,Virus Diseases ,Biology (General) ,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry ,QD1-999 ,Molecular Biology ,antimicrobial peptides ,antiviral drugs ,coronavirus ,antiviral therapy ,Spectroscopy ,Antiviral Agent ,RNA Viruse ,Antimicrobial Cationic Peptide ,Animal ,Antimicrobial Peptide ,Organic Chemistry ,Antiviral drug ,General Medicine ,Computer Science Applications ,Chemistry ,DNA Viruse ,Vero Cell - Abstract
Viral infections represent a serious threat to the world population and are becoming more frequent. The search and identification of broad-spectrum antiviral molecules is necessary to ensure new therapeutic options, since there is a limited availability of effective antiviral drugs able to eradicate viral infections, and consequently due to the increase of strains that are resistant to the most used drugs. Recently, several studies on antimicrobial peptides identified them as promising antiviral agents. In detail, amphibian skin secretions serve as a rich source of natural antimicrobial peptides. Their antibacterial and antifungal activities have been widely reported, but their exploitation as potential antiviral agents have yet to be fully investigated. In the present study, the antiviral activity of the peptide derived from the secretion of Rana tagoi, named AR-23, was evaluated against both DNA and RNA viruses, with or without envelope. Different assays were performed to identify in which step of the infectious cycle the peptide could act. AR-23 exhibited a greater inhibitory activity in the early stages of infection against both DNA (HSV-1) and RNA (MeV, HPIV-2, HCoV-229E, and SARS-CoV-2) enveloped viruses and, on the contrary, it was inactive against naked viruses (PV-1). Altogether, the results indicated AR-23 as a peptide with potential therapeutic effects against a wide variety of human viruses.
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- 2022
82. Nasopharyngeal virome analysis of COVID-19 patients during three different waves in Campania region of Italy
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Carlo Ferravante, Giuseppina Sanna, Viola Melone, Aurore Fromentier, Teresa Rocco, Ylenia D'Agostino, Jessica Lamberti, Elena Alexandrova, Giovanni Pecoraro, Pasquale Pagliano, Roberta Astorri, Aldo Manzin, Alessandro Weisz, Giorgio Giurato, Massimiliano Galdiero, Francesca Rizzo, Gianluigi Franci, Ferravante, C., Sanna, G., Melone, V., Fromentier, A., Rocco, T., D'Agostino, Y., Lamberti, J., Alexandrova, E., Pecoraro, G., Pagliano, P., Astorri, R., Manzin, A., Weisz, A., Giurato, G., Galdiero, M., Rizzo, F., and Franci, G.
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Virome ,SARS-CoV-2 ,metagenomics analysis ,COVID-19 ,coinfection ,Infectious Diseases ,coinfections ,Italy ,Nasopharynx ,Virology ,Humans ,metagenomics analysi ,respiratory virome ,Pandemics - Abstract
From December 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has spread rapidly, leading to a global pandemic. Little is known about possible relationships between SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses in the respiratory system affecting patient prognosis and outcomes. This study aims to characterize respiratory virome profiles in association with SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease severity, through the analysis in 89 nasopharyngeal swabs collected in a patient's cohort from the Campania region (Southern Italy). Results show coinfections with viral species belonging to Coronaviridae, Retroviridae, Herpesviridae, Poxviridae, Pneumoviridae, Pandoraviridae, and Anelloviridae families and only 2% of the cases (2/89) identified respiratory viruses.
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- 2022
83. Post-mortem interval assessment by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry analysis in murine cadavers
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Pasquale Mascolo, Serena Bocelli, Maria Elena Della Pepa, Gianluigi Franci, Livio Luongo, Francesca Guida, Marilena Galdiero, Veronica Folliero, Carlo Pietro Campobasso, Sabatino Maione, Federica Dell'Annunziata, Francesca Martora, Dell'Annunziata, F, Martora, F, Della Pepa, Me, Folliero, V, Luongo, L, Bocelli, S, Guida, F, Mascolo, P, Campobasso, Cp, Maione, S, Franci, G, and Galdiero, M.
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MALDI-TOF ,Pathology ,medicine.medical_specialty ,epinecrotic communities ,Firmicutes ,Mass spectrometry ,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology ,Mice ,Cadaver ,medicine ,Ionization time of flight ,Animals ,postmortem interval ,Post-mortem interval ,Sample handling ,decomposition ,biology ,Microbiota ,Decomposition, thanatomicrobiota, epinecrotic communities, post-mortem interval, MALDI-TOF ,Reproducibility of Results ,General Medicine ,thanatomicrobiota ,biology.organism_classification ,MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry ,Anatomical sites ,Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ,Biotechnology - Abstract
AIMS This study assessed the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry as an alternative method to identify species associated with the thanatomicrobiota and epinecrotic communities. METHODS AND RESULTS The study was conducted on 10 murine cadavers, and microbiological swabs were collected from five external anatomical sites (eyes, ears, nose, mouth and rectum) and four internal organs (brain, spleen, liver, heart), during 16 and 30 days, for the thanatomicrobiota and epinecrotic communities, respectively. Our results revealed that the postmortem microbiota associated with the external cavities showed changes over time and reduced taxonomic diversity. The internal organs, initially sterile, showed signs of microbial invasion at 3 and 10 days postmortem for the liver-spleen and heart-brain, respectively. The postmortem microbiota was mainly dominated by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. CONCLUSIONS MALDI-TOF is a promising method for estimating postmortem interval (PMI), associated with rapid sample handling, good reproducibility and high productivity. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY This study investigated microbial changes during the decomposition process and proposed a simple strategy for PMI estimation. Results introducing the application of the MALDI-TOF method in the field of forensic.
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- 2022
84. NGS analysis of nasopharyngeal microbiota in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients during the first year of the pandemic in the Campania Region of Italy
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Rosa Giugliano, Assunta Sellitto, Carlo Ferravante, Teresa Rocco, Ylenia D'Agostino, Elena Alexandrova, Jessica Lamberti, Domenico Palumbo, Massimiliano Galdiero, Emilia Vaccaro, Pasquale Pagliano, Alessandro Weisz, Giorgio Giurato, Gianluigi Franci, Francesca Rizzo, Giugliano, R., Sellitto, A., Ferravante, C., Rocco, T., D'Agostino, Y., Alexandrova, E., Lamberti, J., Palumbo, D., Galdiero, M., Vaccaro, E., Pagliano, P., Weisz, A., Giurato, G., Franci, G., and Rizzo, F.
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COVID-19 ,Meta-transcriptomics ,Nasal swabs ,Nasopharyngeal microbiome ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Pandemic ,Bacteria ,Coinfection ,Meta-transcriptomic ,Microbiota ,High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ,Microbiology ,Nasal swab ,Infectious Diseases ,Italy ,Nasopharynx ,Humans ,Pandemics ,Human - Abstract
Since its first appearance, the SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly in the human population, reaching the pandemic scale with >280 million confirmed infections and more than 5 million deaths to date (https://covid19.who.int/). These data justify the urgent need to enhance our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 effects in the respiratory system, including those linked to co-infections. The principal aim of our study is to investigate existing correlations in the nasopharynx between the bacterial community, potential pathogens, and SARS-CoV-2 infection. The main aim of this study was to provide evidence pointing to possible relationships between components of the bacterial community and SARS-CoV-2 in the nasopharynx. Meta-transcriptomic profiling of the nasopharyngeal microbial community was carried out in 89 SARS-Cov-2 positive subjects from the Campania Region in Italy. To this end, RNA extracted from nasopharyngeal swabs collected at different times during the initial phases of the pandemic was analyzed by Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). Results show a consistently high presence of members of the Proteobacteria (41.85%), Firmicutes (28.54%), and Actinobacteria (16.10%) phyla, and an inverted correlation between the host microbiome, co-infectious bacteria, and super-potential pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. In depth characterization of microbiota composition in the nasopharynx can provide clues to understand its potential contribution to the clinical phenotype of Covid-19, clarifying the interaction between SARS-Cov-2 and the bacterial flora of the host, and highlighting its dysbiosis and the presence of pathogens that could affect the patient's disease progression and outcome.
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- 2022
85. Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Activity of the Amphibian Antimicrobial Peptide Temporin L and Its Analogs
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Carla Zannella, Annalisa Chianese, Luciana Palomba, Maria Elena Marcocci, Rosa Bellavita, Francesco Merlino, Paolo Grieco, Veronica Folliero, Anna De Filippis, Marialuisa Mangoni, Lucia Nencioni, Gianluigi Franci, Massimiliano Galdiero, Zannella, Carla, Chianese, Annalisa, Palomba, Luciana, Marcocci, Maria Elena, Bellavita, Rosa, Merlino, Francesco, Grieco, Paolo, Folliero, Veronica, De Filippis, Anna, Mangoni, Marialuisa, Nencioni, Lucia, Franci, Gianluigi, Galdiero, Massimiliano, Zannella, C., Chianese, A., Palomba, L., Marcocci, M. E., Bellavita, R., Merlino, F., Grieco, P., Folliero, V., De Filippis, A., Mangoni, M., Nencioni, L., Franci, G., and Galdiero, M.
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antimicrobial peptide ,Cell Survival ,amps ,temporin ,frog peptides ,Amphibian Protein ,Gram-Positive Bacteria ,Antiviral Agents ,Chlorocebus aethiop ,Catalysis ,Amphibian Proteins ,Inorganic Chemistry ,Amphibians ,antimicrobial peptides ,AMPs ,Antimicrobial peptides ,Antiviral activity ,Frog peptides ,HSV-1 ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Temporins ,Virus-host interaction ,Amino Acid Sequence ,Animals ,Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides ,Chlorocebus aethiops ,DNA Viruses ,Gram-Negative Bacteria ,Humans ,Lipids ,RNA Viruses ,Vero Cells ,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry ,temporins ,antiviral activity ,virus-host interaction ,hsv-1 ,sars-cov-2 ,Molecular Biology ,Spectroscopy ,AMP ,Antiviral Agent ,RNA Viruse ,Antimicrobial Cationic Peptide ,Animal ,Organic Chemistry ,General Medicine ,Amphibian ,Lipid ,Computer Science Applications ,frog peptide ,DNA Viruse ,Human - Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has evidenced the urgent need for the discovery of broad-spectrum antiviral therapies that could be deployed in the case of future emergence of novel viral threats, as well as to back up current therapeutic options in the case of drug resistance development. Most current antivirals are directed to inhibit specific viruses since these therapeutic molecules are designed to act on a specific viral target with the objective of interfering with a precise step in the replication cycle. Therefore, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been identified as promising antiviral agents that could help to overcome this limitation and provide compounds able to act on more than a single viral family. We evaluated the antiviral activity of an amphibian peptide known for its strong antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, namely Temporin L (TL). Previous studies have revealed that TL is endowed with widespread antimicrobial activity and possesses marked haemolytic activity. Therefore, we analyzed TL and a previously identified TL derivative (Pro3, DLeu9 TL, where glutamine at position 3 is replaced with proline, and the D-Leucine enantiomer is present at position 9) as well as its analogs, for their activity against a wide panel of viruses comprising enveloped, naked, DNA and RNA viruses. We report significant inhibition activity against herpesviruses, paramyxoviruses, influenza virus and coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, we further modified our best candidate by lipidation and demonstrated a highly reduced cytotoxicity with improved antiviral effect. Our results show a potent and selective antiviral activity of TL peptides, indicating that the novel lipidated temporin-based antiviral agents could prove to be useful additions to current drugs in combatting rising drug resistance and epidemic/pandemic emergencies.
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- 2022
86. Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Causative Agents to Ocular Infections
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Roberta Manente, Biagio Santella, Pasquale Pagliano, Emanuela Santoro, Vincenzo Casolaro, Anna Borrelli, Mario Capunzo, Massimiliano Galdiero, Gianluigi Franci, Giovanni Boccia, Manente, R., Santella, B., Pagliano, P., Santoro, E., Casolaro, V., Borrelli, A., Capunzo, M., Galdiero, M., Franci, G., and Boccia, G.
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Microbiology (medical) ,antimicrobial stewardship ,Infectious Diseases ,ocular infection ,Antibiotics ,antibiotic ,bacteria ,antibiotics ,cross-sectional study ,Pharmacology (medical) ,General Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics ,Biochemistry ,Microbiology - Abstract
Bacterial ocular infections are a worldwide health problem and, if untreated, can damage the structure of the eye and contribute to permanent disability. Knowledge of the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the main causative agents involved in ocular infections is necessary for defining an optimal antibiotic therapy. The aim of this study was to analyse bacterial species involved in ocular infections and the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Conjunctival swab samples were collected from patients with bacterial conjunctivitis at the University Hospital San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona between January 2015 and December 2019. The identification and antibiotic sensitivity tests were performed using the VITEK 2 system. A total of 281 causative agents of ocular infections were isolated, 81.8% of which were Gram-positive bacteria. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were the most commonly isolated species among Gram-positive bacteria, followed by Staphylococcus aureus. In contrast, Pseudomonas spp. and Escherichia coli were the main species isolated among Gram-negative bacteria (18.2%). Overall, linezolid, teicoplanin, tigecycline and vancomycin were the most effective antimicrobials. Analysis of resistance rates over time highlighted increasing resistance for azithromycin, clarithromycin and erythromycin among CoNS, and clindamycin and erythromycin among Staphylococcus aureus. This study has identified the profiles of the major pathogens involved in ocular infection and their susceptibility patterns, which will help improve the treatments and the choice of antibiotics in ocular infections.
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- 2022
87. Impact of Escherichia coli Outer Membrane Vesicles on Sperm Function
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Veronica Folliero, Marianna Santonastaso, Federica Dell’Annunziata, Pasquale De Franciscis, Giovanni Boccia, Nicola Colacurci, Anna De Filippis, Massimiliano Galdiero, Gianluigi Franci, Folliero, V., Santonastaso, M., Dell'Annunziata, F., De Franciscis, P., Boccia, G., Colacurci, N., De Filippis, A., Galdiero, M., and Franci, G.
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Microbiology (medical) ,fertility ,Infectious Diseases ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,Escherichia coli ,Immunology and Allergy ,outer membrane vesicle ,Molecular Biology - Abstract
Reproductive tract infections account for approximately 15% of male infertility cases. Escherichia coli (E. coli) represents the most frequently isolated bacterial strain in the semen of infertile men. All Gram-negative bacteria constitutively produce outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). The present study proved, for the first time, the involvement of OMVs in human sperm function. E. coli OMVs were isolated by ultracentrifugation and characterized via sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis. Human sperm was exposed to OMVs (8 µg/mL) for different times (30, 45, 60 and 90 min). The vitality, motility, morphology, ROS level and DNA fragmentation of spermatozoa were evaluated. OMVs reduced the progressive motility and increased the immobile spermatozoa amount after 30 min of treatment. In addition, a significant increase in the percentage of intracellular ROS and sperm DNA fragmentation was recorded for each vesicular exposure time. These preliminary findings prove that OMVs contribute to altering human sperm function via two mechanisms: (i) impaired motility and (ii) DNA fragmentation.
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- 2022
88. Regulation of m6A Methylation as a New Therapeutic Option against COVID-19
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Massimiliano Galdiero, Ferdinando Carlo Sasso, Francesco De Caro, Carla Zannella, Luca Rinaldi, Giovanni Boccia, Gianluigi Franci, Annalisa Chianese, Zannella, C., Rinaldi, L., Boccia, G., Chianese, A., Sasso, F. C., De Caro, F., Franci, G., and Galdiero, M.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,COVID-19 ,Epigenetics ,Fat mass and obesity-associated protein ,M6A ,Methylation ,Rhein ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Pharmaceutical Science ,Disease ,Biology ,Article ,rhein ,Pharmacy and materia medica ,fat mass and obesity-associated protein ,Drug Discovery ,Infectivity ,Gene knockdown ,epigenetics ,Epigenetic ,m6A ,Epigenetic Mechanism ,Cell biology ,RS1-441 ,Molecular Medicine ,Medicine ,methylation - Abstract
The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the resulting pandemic has led to a spasmodic search for approaches able to limit the diffusion of the disease. The epigenetic machinery has aroused considerable interest in the last decades, and much evidence has demonstrated that this type of modification could regulate the early stages of viral infection. Recently it was reported that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) influences SARS-CoV-2 replication, although its role remains to be further investigated. The knockdown of enzymes involved in the m6A pathway could represent an optimal strategy to deepen the epigenetic mechanism. In the present study, we blocked the catalytic activity of the fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) by using the selective inhibitor rhein. We observed a strong broad-spectrum reduction of infectivity caused by various coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. This effect could be due to the modulation of m6A levels and could allow identification of this modification as a new therapeutic target to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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- 2021
89. Rapid and Flexible Platform To Assess Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Neutralization and Spike Protein-Specific Antivirals
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Anne Moscona, Michael A. Whitt, Michele Cennamo, Gavreel Kalantarov, Yun Zhu, Matteo Porotto, Ilya Trakht, Monica P. Goldklang, Debora Stelitano, Gianluigi Franci, Stuart P. Weisberg, Cyrille Mathieu, Francesca T. Bovier, Branka Horvat, Giuseppe Portella, Didier Decimo, Massimiliano Galdiero, Giuseppe Greco, Columbia University [New York], University of the Study of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Capital University of Medical Sciences [Beijing] (CUMS), Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie - UMR (CIRI), École normale supérieure - Lyon (ENS Lyon)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of Salerno (UNISA), University of Naples Federico II, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center [Memphis] (UTHSC), University of Naples Federico II = Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II, Mathieu, Cyrille, Stelitano, D., Weisberg, S. P., Goldklang, M. P., Zhu, Y., Bovier, F. T., Kalantarov, G. F., Greco, G., Decimo, D., Franci, G., Cennamo, M., Portella, G., Galdiero, M., Mathieu, C., Horvat, B., Trakht, I. N., Moscona, A., Whitt, M. A., Porotto, M., Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), École normale supérieure de Lyon (ENS de Lyon)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne (UJM)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and ANR-20-COVI-0049,CoronaPepStop,Développement des peptides inhibiteurs de fusion contre l'infection à coronavirus(2020)
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0301 basic medicine ,viruses ,Antibodies, Viral ,spike protein ,Neutralization ,HEK293 Cell ,Biosafety level ,Chlorocebus aethiops ,[SDV.MP.VIR] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/Virology ,biology ,QR1-502 ,3. Good health ,Vaccination ,Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus ,[SDV.MP.VIR]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/Virology ,[SDV.IMM]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Immunology ,Neutralization Test ,Antibody ,Human ,Research Article ,[SDV.IMM] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Immunology ,030106 microbiology ,immunity ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Chlorocebus aethiop ,Antiviral Agents ,Microbiology ,Virus ,Cell Line ,Herd immunity ,03 medical and health sciences ,Viral envelope ,Neutralization Tests ,Immunity ,Animals ,Humans ,Pandemics ,Vero Cells ,Molecular Biology ,Antiviral Agent ,Pandemic ,Animal ,COVID-19 ,Antibodies, Neutralizing ,Virology ,HEK293 Cells ,030104 developmental biology ,biology.protein ,Spike Glycoprotein, Coronaviru - Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is ongoing and has shown the community that flexible methods for rapidly identifying and screening candidate antivirals are needed. Assessing virus-neutralizing activity of human serum to monitor population immunity and response to infection and vaccination is key to pandemic control. We developed a virus neutralization platform strategy that relies only on bioinformatic and genetic information of the virus of interest. The platform uses viral envelope glycoprotein cDNAs to set up an assay that mimics multicycle infection but is safe and, therefore, amenable to biosafety level 2 (BSL2) conditions for viruses that require BSL3 facilities (e.g., SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2). As a complement to this platform, we present a new cell-based immunofluorescent (CBI) assay that uses SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S)-expressing cells to accurately measure the neutralization potential of human sera and is readily adaptable to variants of concern. These methods should be useful additions to the tools for assessing antiviral immunity, whether acquired via natural infection or vaccines. IMPORTANCE Assays for rapid biosafety level 2 (BSL2) evaluation of neutralizing properties of antibodies acquired via natural infection or through vaccination is urgently needed. Here, we propose a combinatorial approach in which sera are screened for SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S) binding using a cell-based immunofluorescent (CBI) assay, and positive samples are further evaluated in a pseudotyped viral multicycle infection-mimicking protocol under BSL2 conditions.
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- 2021
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90. Outer Membrane Vesicles Derived from Klebsiella pneumoniae Are a Driving Force for Horizontal Gene Transfer
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Massimiliano Galdiero, Marilena Galdiero, Gianluigi Franci, Federica Dell'Annunziata, Giuliana Donadio, Fabrizio Dal Piaz, Carmela Dell'Aversana, Viviana Izzo, Giovanni Boccia, Anna De Filippis, Veronica Folliero, Nunzianna Doti, Lucia Altucci, Dell'Annunziata, F., Dell'Aversana, C., Doti, N., Donadio, G., Dal Piaz, F., Izzo, V., De Filippis, A., Galdiero, M., Altucci, L., Boccia, G., Folliero, V., Franci, G., Dell'Annunziata, Federica, Dell’Aversana, Carmela, Doti, Nunzianna, Donadio, Giuliana, Dal Piaz, Fabrizio, Izzo, Viviana, DE FILIPPIS, Anna, Galdiero, Marilena, Altucci, Lucia, Boccia, Giovanni, Galdiero, Massimiliano, Folliero, Veronica, and Franci, Gianluigi
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Klebsiella pneumoniae ,Gene Dosage ,medicine.disease_cause ,Plasmid ,Cytoplasmic Vesicle ,Biology (General) ,Spectroscopy ,Phylogeny ,DNA ,Gram-negative bacteria ,Horizontal gene transfer ,Outer membrane vesicles ,General Medicine ,Computer Science Applications ,Anti-Bacterial Agents ,Chemistry ,horizontal gene transfer ,Bacterial outer membrane ,Plasmids ,Gene Transfer, Horizontal ,QH301-705.5 ,Bacterial Protein ,Biology ,Catalysis ,Article ,Microbiology ,Inorganic Chemistry ,Antibiotic resistance ,Bacterial Proteins ,Anti-Bacterial Agent ,Drug Resistance, Bacterial ,medicine ,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry ,Molecular Biology ,Gene ,Escherichia coli ,QD1-999 ,Pseudomonas aeruginosa ,Outer membrane vesicle ,Organic Chemistry ,Cytoplasmic Vesicles ,Outer Membrane Vesicles ,biology.organism_classification ,Low copy number ,Bacteria ,Transformation efficiency - Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria release Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs) into the extracellular environment. Recent studies recognized these vesicles as vectors to horizontal gene transfer, however, the parameters that mediate OMVs transfer within bacterial communities remain unclear. The present study highlights for the first time the transfer of plasmids containing resistance genes via OMVs derived from Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae). This mechanism confers DNA protection, it is plasmid copy number dependent with a ratio of 3.6 times among high copy number plasmid (pGR) versus low copy number plasmid (PRM), and the transformation efficiency was 3.6 times greater. Therefore, the DNA amount in the vesicular lumen and the efficacy of horizontal gene transfer was strictly dependent on the identity of the plasmid. Moreover, the role of K. pneumoniae-OMVs in interspecies transfer was described. The transfer ability was not related to the phylogenetic characteristics between the donor and the recipient species. K. pneumoniae-OMVs transferred plasmid to Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia. These findings address the pivotal role of K. pneumoniae-OMVs as vectors for antimicrobial resistance genes spread, contributing to the development of antibiotic resistance in the microbial communities.
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- 2021
91. Epstein-Barr Virus Seroprevalence and Primary Infection at the University Hospital Luigi Vanvitelli of Naples from 2007 to 2017
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Maria Teresa Della Rocca, Colombina Melardo, Roberta Astorri, Mariateresa Vitiello, Emiliana Finamore, Gianluigi Franci, Annalisa Chianese, Massimiliano Galdiero, Francesco Bencivenga, Valeria Crudele, Emilia Galdiero, Franci, G., Crudele, V., Della Rocca, M. T., Melardo, C., Chianese, A., Finamore, E., Bencivenga, F., Astorri, R., Vitiello, M., Galdiero, E., and Galdiero, M.
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Male ,Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ,Herpesvirus 4, Human ,Pediatrics ,Mononucleosis ,Antibodies, Viral ,medicine.disease_cause ,Hospitals, University ,Epstein-Barr Virus Infection ,Retrospective Studie ,Seroepidemiologic Studies ,hemic and lymphatic diseases ,Prevalence ,Asymptomatic Infection ,Age Factor ,Child ,Asymptomatic Infections ,Aged, 80 and over ,Age Factors ,Epstein-Barr viru ,Middle Aged ,University hospital ,Infectious Diseases ,Italy ,Child, Preschool ,Female ,medicine.symptom ,Human ,Adult ,medicine.medical_specialty ,IgM ,Adolescent ,IgG ,Lymphoproliferative disorders ,Asymptomatic ,Virus ,Young Adult ,Primary infection ,Virology ,medicine ,Humans ,Seroprevalence ,Aged ,Retrospective Studies ,business.industry ,Seroepidemiologic Studie ,Significant difference ,Infant, Newborn ,Infant ,medicine.disease ,EBV nuclear antigen ,Epstein–Barr virus ,business - Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a common herpesvirus that may cause asymptomatic infection or various diseases, such as mononucleosis, lymphoproliferative disorders and several cancers. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of EBV among patients hospitalized in “Luigi Vanvitelli” University Hospital in the last 10 years. Our results showed that EBV seroprevalence in our geographical area was 65%. Seroprevalence increased gradually with age with no significant difference between females (49.42%) and males (50.58%). The seropositivity for primary infection was higher in patients about 5 years old, while seropositivity for past infection was predominant in patients of about 35 years old. These results underline that children in our country are still exposed to EBV. The development and the deeper use of an EBV vaccine in the early years of life could represent the solution for this infection.
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- 2019
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92. PD-L1 Dysregulation in COVID-19 Patients
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Francesco Sabbatino, Valeria Conti, Gianluigi Franci, Carmine Sellitto, Valentina Manzo, Pasquale Pagliano, Emanuela De Bellis, Alfonso Masullo, Francesco Antonio Salzano, Alessandro Caputo, Ilaria Peluso, Pio Zeppa, Giosuè Scognamiglio, Giuseppe Greco, Carla Zannella, Michele Ciccarelli, Claudia Cicala, Carmine Vecchione, Amelia Filippelli, Stefano Pepe, Sabbatino, F., Conti, V., Franci, G., Sellitto, C., Manzo, V., Pagliano, P., De Bellis, E., Masullo, A., Salzano, F. A., Caputo, A., Peluso, I., Zeppa, P., Scognamiglio, G., Greco, G., Zannella, C., Ciccarelli, M., Cicala, C., Vecchione, C., Filippelli, A., and Pepe, S.
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Adult ,Male ,PD-L1 ,0301 basic medicine ,Immunology ,B7-H1 Antigen ,Pathogenesis ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Immune system ,Downregulation and upregulation ,Humans ,Immunology and Allergy ,Medicine ,Lung ,Aged ,Original Research ,Aged, 80 and over ,Innate immune system ,biology ,SARS-CoV-2 ,business.industry ,immune checkpoint molecule ,COVID-19 ,Epithelial Cells ,RC581-607 ,Middle Aged ,Acquired immune system ,adaptive immune response ,Up-Regulation ,030104 developmental biology ,immune checkpoint molecules ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Leukocytes, Mononuclear ,innate immune response ,biology.protein ,Female ,ARDS ,prognosis ,Sample collection ,Immunologic diseases. Allergy ,business ,prognosi - Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has reached direct and indirect medical and social consequences with a subset of patients who rapidly worsen and die from severe-critical manifestations. As a result, there is still an urgent need to identify prognostic biomarkers and effective therapeutic approaches. Severe-critical manifestations of COVID-19 are caused by a dysregulated immune response. Immune checkpoint molecules such as Programmed death-1 (PD-1) and its ligand programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) play an important role in regulating the host immune response and several lines of evidence underly the role of PD-1 modulation in COVID-19. Here, by analyzing blood sample collection from both hospitalized COVID-19 patients and healthy donors, as well as levels of PD-L1 RNA expression in a variety of model systems of SARS-CoV-2, including in vitro tissue cultures, ex-vivo infections of primary epithelial cells and biological samples obtained from tissue biopsies and blood sample collection of COVID-19 and healthy individuals, we demonstrate that serum levels of PD-L1 have a prognostic role in COVID-19 patients and that PD-L1 dysregulation is associated to COVID-19 pathogenesis. Specifically, PD-L1 upregulation is induced by SARS-CoV-2 in infected epithelial cells and is dysregulated in several types of immune cells of COVID-19 patients including monocytes, neutrophils, gamma delta T cells and CD4+ T cells. These results have clinical significance since highlighted the potential role of PD-1/PD-L1 axis in COVID-19, suggest a prognostic role of PD-L1 and provide a further rationale to implement novel clinical studies in COVID-19 patients with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors.
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- 2021
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93. Age-related miRNome landscape of cumulus oophorus cells during controlled ovarian stimulation protocols in IVF cycles
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Gianluigi Franci, V Pisaturo, Nicola Colacurci, Lucia Altucci, Carmela Dell'Aversana, Salvatore Longobardi, Francesca Caprio, Thomas D'Hooghe, F Cuomo, Marianna Santonastaso, S Barone, D Valerio, Dell'Aversana, C, Cuomo, F, Longobardi, S, D'Hooghe, T, Caprio, F, Franci, G, Santonastaso, M, Colacurci, N, Barone, S, Pisaturo, V, Valerio, D, and Altucci, L
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Infertility ,medically assisted reproduction ,medicine.drug_class ,gonadotropin stimulation ,Fertilization in Vitro ,Biology ,Oogenesis ,Andrology ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Ovulation Induction ,Germany ,microRNA ,medicine ,Humans ,Epigenetics ,cumulus oophorus cells ,cumulus oophorus cell ,030304 developmental biology ,miRNA ,Aged ,0303 health sciences ,030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine ,Cumulus Cells ,aging ,epigenetics ,Female ,Oocytes ,Rehabilitation ,Obstetrics and Gynecology ,Original Articles ,medicine.disease ,AcademicSubjects/MED00905 ,Cumulus oophorus ,Real-time polymerase chain reaction ,Reproductive Medicine ,DNA methylation ,Gonadotropin ,epigenetic - Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is the microRNA (miRNA) expression pattern of cumulus oophorus cells (COCs) in women undergoing medically assisted reproduction (MAR) procedures differentially modulated according to patient age and gonadotropin treatment strategy? SUMMARY ANSWER Maternal age is an independent factor impacting miRNA expression in COCs while gonadotropin treatment may affect follicular miRNA expression and IVF efficacy. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Epigenetic mechanisms in female infertility are complex and poorly studied. DNA methylation, histone modifications, miRNAs and nucleosome positioning influence cellular machinery through positive and negative feedback mechanisms either alone or interactively. miRNAs are important regulators during oogenesis, spermatogenesis and early embryogenesis, and are reported to play a role in regulating crosstalk between the oocyte and COCs. Although miRNome analysis has been performed in female human reproductive tissues (endometrium, myometrium, cervix and ovaries), epigenetic modifications in women with infertility have not been explored in detail. In addition, the impact of gonadotropin treatments during MAR on miRNA expression in COCs has not been fully investigated. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This study was carried out in 53 COC samples obtained from mature metaphase II (MII) oocytes in 53 women undergoing MAR treatment. A total of 38 samples for assay development were pooled by maternal age and gonadotropin treatment into four predetermined subgroups: ≥36 years and recombinant human FSH (r-hFSH), n = 10; ≥36 years and r-hFSH+ recombinant human-luteinizing hormone (r-hLH), n = 10; ≤35 years and r-hFSH, n = 9; ≤35 years and r-hFSH+r-hLH, n = 9. miRNome profiles were determined and compared between subgroups. Expression of defined miRNAs was validated in the remaining fifteen samples, representative of each subgroup, by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS COCs were processed for miRNA-enriched total RNA extraction and pooled in homogeneous subgroups to obtain a sufficient amount and quality of starting material to perform the analysis. Each pooled sample underwent miRNA profiling using PCR assay system to examine expression of 752 human miRNAs without pre-amplification. Data were analyzed using the delta-delta Ct method for relative quantitation and prediction of target genes (with at least four algorithms predicting the same miRNA-gene interaction pair (HIT)>4). The miRSystem database provided functional annotation enrichment (raw P-value MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE We found distinctive miRNA expression profiles in each subgroup correlating with age and MAR stimulation. In addition, a number of selective and co-expressed miRNAs were revealed by comparative analysis. A cluster of 37 miRNAs were commonly but differentially expressed in all four pools. Significant differences were observed in expression regulation of 37 miRNAs between age groups (≤35 or ≥36) in women receiving r-hFSH+r-hLH compared to those receiving r-hFSH alone. Higher concentrations and increased numbers of miRNAs were recorded in younger than in older patients, regardless of treatment. Functional and expression studies performed to retrieve common miRNome profiles revealed an enrichment of biological functions in oocyte growth and maturation, embryo development, steroidogenesis, ovarian hyperstimulation, apoptosis and cell survival, glucagon and lipid metabolism, and cell trafficking. The highest scored pathways of target genes of the 37 common miRNAs were associated with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, G alpha signaling, transcription regulation, tight junctions, RNA polymerase I and III, and mitochondrial transcription. We identified a potential age- and MAR stimulation-dependent signature in the miRNA landscape of COCs. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION We cannot rule out the possibility that other unknown individual genetic or clinical factors may have interfered with the reported results. Since miRNA profiling was conducted with a predefined array of target probes, other miRNA molecules, potentially modulated by age and hormonal stimulation, may have been missed in this study. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS miRNA expression in COCs is modulated by gonadotropin treatment and correlates strongly with age. A better understanding of the expression patterns and functions of miRNAs may lead to the development of novel therapeutics to treat ovarian dysfunction and improve fertility in older women. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST This study was funded by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. All authors declared no competing interest, except SL and TD who are fully employed by Merck KGaA. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A
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- 2021
94. SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development: Where are we?
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M, Galdiero, V, Folliero, C, Zannella, A, De Filippis, A, Mali, L, Rinaldi, G, Franci, Galdiero, M., Folliero, V., Zannella, C., de Filippis, A., Mali, A., Rinaldi, L., and Franci, G.
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COVID-19 Vaccines ,Drug Development ,Pandemic ,COVID-19 ,Immune response ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Vaccine ,Humans ,COVID-19 Drug Treatment - Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has proved to be one of the most challenging infectious diseases in the modern era, and despite several countermeasures to lessen its impact, the spread of the virus is still affecting most countries. This renders the goal of active immunization of the population through vaccination a worldwide public health priority. In fact, only when efficient vaccination programs will be successfully implemented, a return to pre-pandemic normality can be considered. The scientific community has made a tremendous effort to blow the lid off the pathogenesis of the disease, and unprecedented efforts are ongoing with governments, private organizations, and academics working together to expeditiously develop safe and efficacious vaccines. Previous research efforts in the development of vaccines for other coronaviruses (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 1 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus) as well other emerging viruses have opened the door for exploiting several strategies to design a new vaccine against the pandemic virus. Indeed, in a few months, a stunning number of vaccines have been proposed, and almost 50 putative vaccine candidates have entered clinical trials. The different vaccine candidates use different vaccine development platforms, from inactivated whole virus vaccine to subunit vaccine, nucleic acid, and vectored vaccines. In this review, we describe strengths, flaws, and potential pitfalls of each approach to understand their chances of success.
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- 2021
95. Evaluation of Antibiotic Resistance and Biofilm Production among Clinical Strain Isolated from Medical Devices
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Federica Dell'Annunziata, Anna De Filippis, Gianluigi Franci, Rossella Sperlongano, Emiliana Finamore, Francesco Foglia, Rosa Giugliano, Veronica Folliero, Massimiliano Galdiero, Folliero, V., Franci, G., Dell'Annunziata, F., Giugliano, R., Foglia, F., Sperlongano, R., De Filippis, A., Finamore, E., and Galdiero, M.
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Microbiology (medical) ,Article Subject ,Strain (chemistry) ,medicine.drug_class ,Antibiotics ,Biofilm ,Becton dickinson ,biochemical phenomena, metabolism, and nutrition ,Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,Microbiology ,QR1-502 ,Glycopeptide ,Multiple drug resistance ,Antibiotic resistance ,medicine ,Bacteria ,Research Article - Abstract
Microbial biofilms pose a serious threat to patients requiring medical devices (MDs). Prolonged periods of implantation carry a high risk of device-related infections (DRIs). Patients with DRIs often have negative outcomes following the failure of antibiotic treatment. Resistant DRIs are mainly due to the MDs contamination by bacteria producing biofilm. The present study aimed to detect biofilm formation among MD bacterial isolates and to explore their antibiotic resistance profile. The study was conducted on 76 MDs, collected at University Hospital of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli,” between October 2019 and September 2020. Identification of isolates and antibiotic susceptibility testing were performed using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and Phoenix Becton Dickinson, respectively. Biofilm-forming abilities were assessed using the tissue culture plate (TCP) method. Among the 94 MDs isolated strains, 42.7% were Gram-positive, 40.3% Gram-negative, and 17% Candida species. Among 78 bacterial strains, 43.6% were non-biofilm producers while 56.4% produced biofilms. All biofilm producing isolates were sensitive to a limited spectrum of antibiotic classes. All moderate and strong biofilm producers and 81% of weak biofilm producers were Multidrug Resistance (MDR) strains. In contrast, among non-biofilm producers, only 11.8% were classified as MDR strains. Our results highlighted that Sulfamides and Glycopeptides for the major Gram-positive strains and Fluoroquinolones, Carbapenems, and Aminoglycosides for the most represented Gram-negative isolates could be the most suitable therapeutic choice for most biofilm-DRIs.
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- 2021
96. Antiviral activity of the rhamnolipids mixture from the antarctic bacterium pseudomonas gessardii M15 against herpes simplex viruses and coronaviruses
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Giugliano Rosa, Buonocore Carmine, Zannella Carla, Chianese Annalisa, Esposito Fortunato Palma, Tedesco Pietro, De Filippis Anna, Galdiero Massimiliano, Franci Gianluigi, de Pascale Donatella, Giugliano, R., Buonocore, C., Zannella, C., Chianese, A., Esposito, F. P., Tedesco, P., De Filippis, A., Galdiero, M., Franci, G., and de Pascale, D.
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Rhamnolipids ,SARS-CoV-2 ,viruses ,Antarctic bacteria ,Antiviral ,Coron-avirus ,Enveloped virus ,Herpes ,Microbial biosurfactants ,TEM ,coronavirus ,Pharmaceutical Science ,microbial biosurfactants ,rhamnolipids ,antiviral ,enveloped virus ,herpes ,Enveloped viru ,Coron-aviru ,RS1-441 ,Pharmacy and materia medica ,Rhamnolipid ,Herpe ,Microbial biosurfactant - Abstract
Emerging and re-emerging viruses represent a serious threat to human health at a global level. In particular, enveloped viruses are one of the main causes of viral outbreaks, as recently demonstrated by SARS-CoV-2. An effective strategy to counteract these viruses could be to target the envelope by using surface-active compounds. Rhamnolipids (RLs) are microbial biosurfactants displaying a wide range of bioactivities, such as antibacterial, antifungal and antibiofilm, among others. Being of microbial origin, they are environmentally-friendly, biodegradable, and less toxic than synthetic surfactants. In this work, we explored the antiviral activity of the rhamnolipids mixture (M15RL) produced by the Antarctic bacteria Pseudomonas gessardii M15 against viruses belonging to Coronaviridae and Herpesviridae families. In addition, we investigated the rhamnolipids’ mode of action and the possibility of inactivating viruses on treated surfaces. Our results show complete inactivation of HSV-1 and HSV-2 by M15RLs at 6 µg/mL, and of HCoV-229E and SARSCoV-2 at 25 and 50 µg/mL, respectively. Concerning activity against HCoV-OC43, 80% inhibition of cytopathic effect was recorded, while no activity against naked Poliovirus Type 1 (PV-1) was detectable, suggesting that the antiviral action is mainly directed towards the envelope. In conclusion, we report a significant activity of M15RL against enveloped viruses and demonstrated for the first time the antiviral effect of rhamnolipids against SARS-CoV-2.
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- 2021
97. SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development: where are we?
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Massimiliano GALDIERO, Marilena GALDIERO, V. FOLLIERO, C. ZANNELLA, A. DE FILIPPIS, A. MALI, L. RINALDI, G. FRANCI, Galdiero, Massimiliano, Galdiero, Marilena, Folliero, V., Zannella, C., DE FILIPPIS, A., Mali, A., Rinaldi, L., and Franci, G.
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- 2021
98. Lower respiratory tract pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern: A 5-year study
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Domenico Iervolino, Federica Dell'Annunziata, Anna De Filippis, Massimiliano Galdiero, Giovanni Boccia, Enrica Serretiello, Pasquale Pagliano, Folliero Veronica, Emanuela Santoro, Gianluigi Franci, Biagio Santella, Roberta Manente, Francesco Valitutti, Santella, B., Serretiello, E., De Filippis, A., Veronica, F., Iervolino, D., Dell'Annunziata, F., Manente, R., Valitutti, F., Santoro, E., Pagliano, P., Galdiero, M., Boccia, G., and Franci, G.
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0301 basic medicine ,Microbiology (medical) ,Cefotaxime ,medicine.drug_class ,Epidemiology ,030106 microbiology ,Antibiotics ,Tigecycline ,RM1-950 ,Antimicrobial stewardship ,Antimicrobial resistance ,Biochemistry ,Microbiology ,Article ,Lower respiratory tract infection ,antimicrobial stewardship ,03 medical and health sciences ,Antibiotic resistance ,Nosocomial infections ,medicine ,Pharmacology (medical) ,General Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics ,Lower respiratory tract infections ,biology ,business.industry ,biology.organism_classification ,Acinetobacter baumannii ,Ciprofloxacin ,030104 developmental biology ,Infectious Diseases ,Amikacin ,lower respiratory tract infections ,Colistin ,Therapeutics. Pharmacology ,business ,medicine.drug - Abstract
Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are the most common infections in humans. It is estimated that 2.74 million deaths worldwide occur each year due to LRTIs. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of microorganisms isolated from respiratory samples of patients with LRTIs. Between January 2015 and December 2019, a total of 7038 sputum and bronchoaspirate samples from suspected LRTI patients were collected. Among them, 2753 samples (39.1%) showed significant microbial growth on culture media. The LRTI rate was higher in patients with male gender (67.1%) and with age between 40–59 years (48.6%). The microorganism identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing were performed with Vitek 2. Out of 4278 isolates species, 3102 (72.5%) were Gram-negative bacteria, 1048 (24.5%) were Gram-positive bacteria, and 128 (3.0%) were Candida spp. Major microorganisms isolated were Acinetobacter baumannii (18.6%), Staphylococcus aureus (15.2%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14.2%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (10.9%). In antimicrobial susceptibility testing, Staphylococcus aureus isolates were mostly resistant to Penicillin G (84.1%) and Oxacillin (48.1%), whereas they demonstrated maximum sensitivity to Tigecycline (100%) and Linezolid (99.5%). Among Gram-negative isolates, Acinetobacter baumannii showed maximum sensitivity to Colistin but was resistant to other antibiotics (95–99%). Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were mostly resistant to Cefotaxime (72.7%) and sensitive to Gentamicin (54.3%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was resistant to Ciprofloxacin (40.3%) and sensitive to Amikacin (85.9%). Gram-negative bacteria represented the species most commonly isolated. A high rate of antimicrobial resistance was observed in this study. In conclusion, the correct identification of causative microorganisms and their susceptibility patterns to antibiotics is crucial for choosing targeted and effective antibiotic therapy in LRTIs, and to prevent the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria.
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- 2021
99. Application of dendrimers for treating parasitic diseases
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Carla Zannella, Annalisa Chianese, Debora Stelitano, Massimiliano Galdiero, Annalisa Ambrosino, Marilena Galdiero, Veronica Folliero, Anna De Filippis, Gianluigi Franci, Folliero, V., Zannella, C., Chianese, A., Stelitano, D., Ambrosino, A., De Filippis, A., Galdiero, M., Franci, G., Folliero, Veronica, Zannella, Carla, Chianese, Annalisa, Stelitano, Debora, Ambrosino, Annalisa, DE FILIPPIS, Anna, Galdiero, Marilena, Franci, Gianluigi, and Galdiero, Massimiliano
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Medical knowledge ,Nanostructure ,030231 tropical medicine ,lcsh:RS1-441 ,Pharmaceutical Science ,Nanotechnology ,Review ,Parasitic infection ,Pharmacological treatment ,lcsh:Pharmacy and materia medica ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Dendrimer ,Parasitic Diseases ,Medicine ,Drug toxicity ,Drug delivery ,Parasite ,030304 developmental biology ,0303 health sciences ,business.industry ,High ratio ,business - Abstract
Despite advances in medical knowledge, parasitic diseases remain a significant global health burden and their pharmacological treatment is often hampered by drug toxicity. Therefore, drug delivery systems may provide useful advantages when used in combination with conventional therapeutic compounds. Dendrimers are three-dimensional polymeric structures, characterized by a central core, branches and terminal functional groups. These nanostructures are known for their defined structure, great water solubility, biocompatibility and high encapsulation ability against a wide range of molecules. Furthermore, the high ratio between terminal groups and molecular volume render them a hopeful vector for drug delivery. These nanostructures offer several advantages compared to conventional drugs for the treatment of parasitic infection. Dendrimers deliver drugs to target sites with reduced dosage, solving side effects that occur with accepted marketed drugs. In recent years, extensive progress has been made towards the use of dendrimers for therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic purposes for the management of parasitic infections. The present review highlights the potential of several dendrimers in the management of parasitic diseases.
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- 2021
100. Synthesis of chitosan‐coated silver nanoparticle bioconjugates and their antimicrobial activity against multidrug‐resistant bacteria
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Massimiliano Galdiero, Marina Prisco, Carla Zannella, Surbhi Shinde, Luigi Rosati, Annarita Falanga, Avinash Mali, Marilena Galdiero, Gianluigi Franci, Veronica Folliero, Anna De Filippis, Annalisa Chianese, Shinde, S., Folliero, V., Chianese, A., Zannella, C., De Filippis, A., Rosati, L., Prisco, M., Falanga, A., Mali, A., Galdiero, M., Franci, G., Shinde, Surbhi, Folliero, Veronica, Chianese, Annalisa, Zannella, Carla, De Filippis, Anna, Rosati, Luigi, Prisco, Marina, Falanga, Annarita, Mali, Avinash, Galdiero, Marilena, Galdiero, Massimiliano, and Franci, Gianluigi
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Technology ,QH301-705.5 ,QC1-999 ,Multidrug‐resistant bacteria ,Silver nanoparticle ,multidrug-resistant bacteria ,Enterococcus faecalis ,Chitosan ,Chitosan–silver nanoparticle ,Green synthesis ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Minimum inhibitory concentration ,General Materials Science ,Biology (General) ,Instrumentation ,QD1-999 ,Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes ,biology ,Process Chemistry and Technology ,Physics ,Broth microdilution ,General Engineering ,Antimicrobial ,biology.organism_classification ,Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) ,Computer Science Applications ,Chemistry ,chemistry ,Green synthesi ,TA1-2040 ,Antibacterial activity ,Bacteria ,Nuclear chemistry - Abstract
The increase in multidrug-resistant bacteria represents a true challenge in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. For this reason, research on the development of new potential antibacterial strategies is essential. Here, we describe the development of a green system for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) bioconjugated with chitosan. We optimized a Prunus cerasus leaf extract as a source of silver and its conversion to chitosan–silver bioconjugates (CH-AgNPs). The AgNPs and CH-AgNPs were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), and zeta potential measurement (Z-potential). The cytotoxic activity of AgNPs and CH-AgNPs was assessed on Vero cells using the 3-[4.5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2.5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell proliferation assay. The antibacterial activity of AgNPs and CH-AgNPs synthesized using the green system was determined using the broth microdilution method. We evaluated the antimicrobial activity against standard ATCC and clinically isolated multisensitive (MS) and multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) Escherichia coli (E. coli), Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), Klebsiella pneumonia (K. pneumoniae), and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays and the broth dilution method. The results of the antibacterial studies demonstrate that the silver chitosan bioconjugates were able to inhibit the growth of MDR strains more effectively than silver nanoparticles alone, with reduced cellular toxicity. These nanoparticles were stable in solution and had wide-spectrum antibacterial activity. The synthesis of silver and silver chitosan bioconjugates from Prunus cerasus leaf extracts may therefore serve as a simple, ecofriendly, noncytotoxic, economical, reliable, and safe method to produce antimicrobial compounds with low cytotoxicity.
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- 2021
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